Non-Sport Update's Card Talk NSU Home | NSU Store | In The Current Issue... | Contact Us |
Non-Sport Update    Non-Sport Update's Card Talk  Hop To Forum Categories  General Card Discussion    LOTR Two Towers Ian McKellen Unreleased Auto
Go
New
Find
Notify
Tools
Reply
  
LOTR Two Towers Ian McKellen Unreleased Auto
 Login/Join
 
Silver Card Talk Member
posted
On a certain auction site I noticed someone selling a Topps Ian McKellen unreleased/prototype autograph card from Two Towers. It's signed in black ink. I believe it's authentic as the seller supposedly worked at Topps as an Editor and Art Director. I would post the link but I don't know if it's allowed so I won't. I just thought LOTR collectors would like to know it's floating around out there. Pretty cool card!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Logan,
 
Posts: 2147 | Location: Pennsylvania | Registered: September 14, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Silver Card Talk Member
posted Hide Post
I can't seem to find it on that site?
 
Posts: 1454 | Location: United Kingdom | Registered: May 04, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Silver Card Talk Member
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by treksearcher:
I can't seem to find it on that site?


The seller spelled his last name "Mc Kellen" in the title.
 
Posts: 2147 | Location: Pennsylvania | Registered: September 14, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Gold Card Talk Member
Picture of Graham
posted Hide Post
Shame it's got the accursed Ebay customs charge con attached to it Shake Head
 
Posts: 3804 | Location: United Kingdom | Registered: April 21, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Silver Card Talk Member
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Logan:
I believe it's authentic as the seller supposedly worked at Topps as an Editor and Art Director.


This kind of bothers me. Lately he seems to have been selling off lots of high-end items. I guess if the company gives it to you as a bonus or whatever, then you're free to do with it as you wish. But when you see unreleased cards like this and multiples of the Planet of the Apes Estella Warren that have sold for $1,347 and $1,000....

Makes you wonder what else employees are holding on to.
 
Posts: 1568 | Location: NJ | Registered: August 28, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Gold Card Talk Member
posted Hide Post
So there was no "regular" McKellen auto in the Two Towers set ?
 
Posts: 4714 | Location: Bayonne, NJ, USA | Registered: May 06, 2001Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of Obi Wan Chrisobi
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by David R:
So there was no "regular" McKellen auto in the Two Towers set ?


No. Ian was listed as a signer for the set right up until it's release (along with a few others like John Rhys Davies) and a few pictures of him signing the cards were circulated at the time, but when the set actually hit, he and a few other names were no longer included. There was a lot of speculation at the time as to why his card was left out of the set since the photos proved that he had signed them but for whatever reason, the Gandalf the White card has never seen the light of day.

____________________
"These aren't the cards you're looking for...."
 
Posts: 425 | Location: Canada | Registered: August 07, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Silver Card Talk Member
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Ted Dastick Jr.:
quote:
Originally posted by Logan:
I believe it's authentic as the seller supposedly worked at Topps as an Editor and Art Director.


This kind of bothers me. Lately he seems to have been selling off lots of high-end items. I guess if the company gives it to you as a bonus or whatever, then you're free to do with it as you wish. But when you see unreleased cards like this and multiples of the Planet of the Apes Estella Warren that have sold for $1,347 and $1,000....

Makes you wonder what else employees are holding on to.


I totally agree with you. If I was interested in bidding on one of his high end/unreleased cards I would have to do some serious thinking about how much I'd be willing to bid. You may think it's a one-of-a kind opportunity when in reality he may list 10 more of the same card in the following weeks. And every one listed may diminish the card's value (or at the very least it's rarity). That said I would love to see the 2005 Topps Batman Begins Christian Bale autograph card that was shown (unsigned) on the original sell sheet come up for bid one day. Maybe this seller has one, or twenty. Big Grin
 
Posts: 2147 | Location: Pennsylvania | Registered: September 14, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
Can't seem to find the listing.

The story I head was he refused to sign the card after Topps were specifically told not to refer to him as SIR Ian McKellen. Don't know how true that is but I do have a sell sheet with the image on it!
 
Posts: 13 | Location: uk | Registered: June 05, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Silver Card Talk Member
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by gk1964:
Can't seem to find the listing.

The story I head was he refused to sign the card after Topps were specifically told not to refer to him as SIR Ian McKellen. Don't know how true that is but I do have a sell sheet with the image on it!


That's the story I remember hearing too. And the card was pulled from eBay a couple days ago as being no longer available for sale. Since the auction is now over I hope the mods won't mind be posting the link:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sir-Ia...rksid=p2047675.l2557
 
Posts: 2147 | Location: Pennsylvania | Registered: September 14, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Silver Card Talk Member
Picture of archifou
posted Hide Post
Here is the answer from McKellen on his official website

AUTO CARD

From: Raymond van Driel

Q: On your website is a picture of signing the Gandalf the White two towers autograph card. This card is very nice but was never released by topps. Do you know the reason? There is speculation of a flaw in the card, but what is the flaw? What happened to the card? Do you have any left? I'm a big collector of LOTR cards and would love to have one.

His quote:

A: I did not sign the Topps cards for The Two Towers because I didn't like the use of my title which was printed on them. My professional name is simply "Ian McKellen". It was too late to re-print the cards. I'm sorry this disappointed Topps as well as many collectors. And I feel a little silly as the cards for the first film, which I did sign, had also carried "Sir".

A picture from his website signing the cards:



And the autograph signed in Blue taken from his website again. But on the previous image we see him sign them in Black like the one sold on eBay.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: archifou,
 
Posts: 1225 | Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada | Registered: November 17, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post



Silver Card Talk Member
posted Hide Post
Judging by the first pic you posted archifou it appears he did sign more than one in black. I wonder where the others are. This is what I mean about not knowing what to pay for something like this. Is it one-of-a kind or will dozens of them turn up one day, having been stashed away or forgotten about by Topps or it's employees. It makes a big difference as far as price goes.
 
Posts: 2147 | Location: Pennsylvania | Registered: September 14, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Silver Card Talk Member
posted Hide Post
Looks like he must've signed some before looking at the back of the card. Then when he changed his mind he probably just returned them all to Topps.
 
Posts: 1568 | Location: NJ | Registered: August 28, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Titanium Card Talk Member
Picture of wolfie
posted Hide Post
My guess is there is a box full of these somewhere all signed in blue and black ink before he threw a hissy fit ( which he probably now regrets. )

____________________
Come, it is time for you to keep your appointment with The Wicker Man.
 
Posts: 28998 | Location: wolverhampton staffs uk | Registered: July 19, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Silver Card Talk Member
Picture of archifou
posted Hide Post
The seller only have one in hand.



I am sure Topps office should have a few in the vault.

From the picture above, McKellen was starting to sign the cards so they should be a handful of cards signed.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: archifou,
 
Posts: 1225 | Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada | Registered: November 17, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
Picked up an Estella Warren from him. Feedback shows 8 sold in the last year. Still happy to have it. Mike
 
Posts: 18 | Location: Canada | Registered: March 24, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
  Powered by Social Strata  
 

Non-Sport Update    Non-Sport Update's Card Talk  Hop To Forum Categories  General Card Discussion    LOTR Two Towers Ian McKellen Unreleased Auto

© Non-Sport Update 2013